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Title: Delirium, Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Format: Hardcover , ARC
Publisher: Harper Teen
I've been out of the Young Adult reading loop for most of this year due to a few different reasons. One, I wanted to focus my blog a bit more to give myself a niche. Two, there are a ton of YA bloggers out there that do the genre a hell out of lot more justice than I ever could. Three, I was a bit burned out on the genre. It seemed all the same to me. Dystopian, Paranormal, Girl falls for Bad Boy who saves her, etc. I was a bit tired of it all.
I'm glad I took a step back for all of these reasons because I came to read Delirium and Pandemonium with very fresh eyes. I was in the mood for something different. These were both on my pile, wonderful gifts given to me by the Harper rep from the book trade show I worked at in September. Delirium is a book club pick for next May so why not get an early start?
I LOVED these books. I could not put them down. In fact, I read both of them in a week. For some of you speedy readers, you may be thinking, so? For me, little ol' miss reading slump, it's the BOMB!
These books had the perfect blend of love, politics, adventure and the whole dystopian slant on the world. What if you were taught that love is a disease? What if you were forced to be "cured"?
Here is a description from Goodreads:
Delirium
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.
Pandemonium
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
Delirium had more a love story than Pandemonium. Pandemonium zeroed in on more the politics and Lena's growth as a activist and overall hardass. I was with Lena all the way, every move she made. She wasn't a wussy girl character even in her vulnerable moments. She was real and honest and going through a ton of changes through both of these books. Her love interests were neither overly heroic or godly. They were flawed and fierce and just wanted to survive.
I do seem to enjoy more of the dystopian young adult novels rather than the paranormal. I would rather read about humans dealing with a dystopian environment versus vampires, faeries, werewolves, etc. I like when books take one common theme and jack it up. Take away love. It's bad. It will kill you. Get the cure and you will be saved. Whaaat??? That's crazy. How is THAT going to turn out?
I like that sort of story twist. I, of course, was on Team Love, all the way.
Rating: 6/6 My Top Rating!
I'm sure readers of young adult books are already all over this series and dying for the next one. Pandemonium does not come out until March 2012 and a third book is in the works. No news on this yet. For other readers out there willing to try a new genre, Oliver delivers two very fun, fast paced well written books. You got a little bit of everything; love, war, politics, revolution, adventure and one tough chick in the center of it all. You can't go wrong.
Author Website:
Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!
red headed book child
6 comments:
I'd been wondering whether to read them - I like YA dystopian (not paranormal...) but I thought the author's first book, Before I Fall, was just okay. But sounds like this may be more my type of books! I wonder if I should wait till all 3 books are out before I read them or I'd forget what happened in the first 2 books! Glad they got you out of the slump!
I actually have had Deliruim in my nook reader for a while now. It is now bumped up on my reading list. lol Thanks for the review!
I agree.. I would choose dystopian over paranormal. I have the ARC of Delirium but I have yet to read it! It sounds great though.
I have had Delirium on my shelf for months now but I've been afraid to read it because it was so different from her first book - Oliver's first book was my No. 1 pick for 2010 - out of all the genres. It was that freaking amazing! If you have not read it I strongly encourage you to do so and get every teenager and parents of teenagers to read it too.
Since you have declared Delirium to be so fantastic I am going to pull it out, dust it off and start reading it tomorrow! thanks for the review
I have not read Pandemonium yet but need to get my hands on a copy!
Thanks for your super cool rec! You know I love YA and read it frequently. I don't know why I still haven't picked up DELIRIUM!
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